Vanessa Riley

Vanessa Riley is an acclaimed author known for captivating novels such as Island Queen, a Good Morning America Buzz Pick, and Queen of Exiles, an ABC View Lit Pick. She was honored as the 2024 Georgia Mystery/Detective Author of the year for Murder in Drury Lane and the 2023 Georgia Literary Fiction Author of the Year for Sister Mother Warrior. Her craft highlights hidden narratives of power, love, and sisterhoods of Black women and women of color in historical fiction, romance, and mystery genres. Her works have received praise from publications like the Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Publisher Weekly, and the New York Times. In addition to penning over twenty-five novels, Vanessa holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and STEM degrees from Penn State, adding a research-oriented approach to her writing while emphasizing inclusive storytelling about the Caribbean, Georgian, and Regency eras. As a member of Regency Fiction Writers, Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America, Women's Fiction Writers Association, Christian Book Lovers Retreat, and the Historical Novel Society, Vanessa advocates for diverse voices. She's also working to increase Sickle Cell Anemia awareness. When she's not writing, she can be found baking, crafting her Trinidadian grandma's recipes, or relaxing on her southern porch sipping caffeine. (https://vanessariley.com/about.html)